This is all for you
by GabbiCalabrese
Summary: Ever since I had almost kissed Ethan and my peculiar and instant connection to Jackson, my mind had turned into a harboring of scattered emotions. I wasn't sure what to feel other than the insistent sting that Dimitri had left behind.
1. Chapter 1

Alright, so this is what I think would have happened if Dimitri took up Tasha's offer. It starts at the endish of the last chapter of Frostbite. All the words in bold are stuff that happened in the book. I felt like a lot of the things should be similar. Enjoy. 

"**I just wish I'd been able to…I don't know, do anything…"**

**Swallowing back further tears, I pulled my hands from Dimitri's and stood up before I could say something stupid.**

"**I should go," I said thickly. "Let me know when you want to start practice again. And thanks for…talking."**

**I started to turn; then I heard him say abruptly, **"Wait."

**I glanced back. "What?"**

**He held my gaze, and something warm and wonderful and powerful shot between us.**

"There's one other thing we need to talk about," he told me.

I paused. It didn't sound like I wanted to hear this.

"Go on," I said hesitantly.

"Rose, I took up Tasha's offer. " He broke our gaze and stared down at his hands. I could not believe what I was hearing.

I was vaguely aware of the tears that had started forming in my eyes. I felt my heart break, but I wasn't angry. Not at Tasha, not at Dimitri. If this is what Dimitri wanted, I needed to support it. "That's really great," I told him, though the break in my voice contradicted my words.

He looked up, and when he saw the tears that began to stream down my cheeks, his face looked pained. "Roza, I'm sorry." He sounded like he meant it.

I tried to smile. "Don't apologize, Comrade. Like I said: I want you to be happy. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity—you get the life you had always dreamed of."

Dimitri looked shocked at my understanding. But when he spoke next, I realized he was surprised at something else entirely. "You think I'm doing this because I want to? Roza, my happiness is with you. I thought you knew that." He stood up and walked towards me with a sadness in his eyes that I had never seen before. I looked away, fearing the power his eyes held. I knew that just one look would transform my silent sobs into outright crying.

"I'm doing this for you. _You_ need to be happy. You need to be able to move on from me in order to do that." The distance between us was microscopic, and Dimitri was tilting my face towards him, forcing me to look at him. "The only life I dream of is one with you in it. And that's why I have to do this. That shouldn't be the case. I shouldn't be knowing that deep in my heart we're right for each other."

His words surprised me. They sent a sensation throughout my whole body that was directly crushed. No matter what he felt, he was leaving me. I closed my eyes so that I could form coherent thoughts. "But **you kept going on about how young I acted."**

"**You act young," he said, "because you **_**are**_** young. But you know things, Roza. Things people older than you don't even know. That day…" I knew instantly which day he referred to. The one against the wall. "You were right, about how I fight to stay in control. No one else has ever figured that out—and it scared me. **_**You**_** scare me."**

"**Why? Don't you want anyone to know?"**

**He shrugged. "Whether they know that fact or not doesn't matter. What matters is that someone—that you—know me that well. When a person can see into your soul, it's hard. It forces you to be open. Vulnerable. It's much easier being with someone who's just more of a casual friend."**

"**Like Tasha."**

"**Tasha Ozera is an amazing woman. She's beautiful and she's brave. But she doesn't—"**

"**She doesn't **_**get**_** you," I finished. **

"No. Not the way you do."

"So…" I was still struggling to grasp everything that was happening. Dimitri had finally admitted that he loved me, but he was leaving me. "you're sacrificing _your_ happiness for me? That doesn't seem fair."

"Life isn't always fair. I'd sacrifice everything for you, Roza. And there's where we encounter another problem. Please understand I'm not doing this to hurt you. I'm trying to benefit you in the long run. This will only do good for you."

"But what about you?" A part of me realized I was trying to talk him out of going with Tasha.

"Me? I'm not sure. I'll be with Tasha. That's all I can tell you, besides the fact that I'll be thinking about you constantly. But I'm going to have to—to settle for Tasha. You're young, you have all the time in the world to find another love. There are several candidates," his face flinched as he thought of me moving on. "But I'm twenty-four. Normal people already have their life built. I don't have time to fall in love again—not that I believe I could. I have to settle."

He was struggling getting out everything he needed to say. I could tell this was just as hard for him as it was for me. Our hearts were synchronized. I tried to imagine what life would be like without Dimitri in it. It was painful and unsuccessful.

"Will you ever come back?" I asked almost silently.

There was something in Dimitri's expression that told me the answer. No. He couldn't. It would hurt both of us too much. It would defeat the purpose of his departure because just one look at one another would cause us to fall in love again. I knew all this, and I dreaded it.

"Dimitri, please." It was my last desperate attempt to get him to change his mind.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

**Time stopped as he reached out and cupped my face between his hands. He brought his mouth down and brushed it against my lips. It was barely a kiss at first but soon increased, becoming heady and deep. When he finally pulled away, it was to kiss my forehead. He left his lips there for several seconds as his arms held me close. **

**I wished the kiss could have gone on forever. **It was the last one we would ever share. **Breaking the embrace, he ran a few fingers through my hair and down my cheek. He stepped back toward the door. **

"I'm sorry, Roza."

My chest was gaping with pain. I prayed that when he walked through that door I would wake up and this whole thing would be one huge dream—nightmare. Or maybe he would turn around and tell me I was on some practical joke show. Neither happened. As he walked out of the door, I had this terrible feeling telling me that it would be the last time I ever saw Dimitri Belikov.

I hit the ground only moments after and let all my emotions out.

Okay, so this might be a one shot. I might continue. I haven't the slightest idea. Review and tell me what your thoughts are. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Heyy, I just wanted to start out by saying thank you to the people who reviewed! I have obviously decided to continue the story! I'm telling you now this is not going to be one of those stories where Rose and Dimitri have a baby and Rose spirals into depression. No, this is going to have the strong Rose Hathaway we all know and love. Enjoy!**

I don't know how long it was until Adrian had found me. By that time I had cried out all of my tears and I had resorted to staring blankly at the door that Dimitri had left through. I wanted to be angry, but I couldn't. I wished that I could resent Tasha for taking half of me away, or even hate Dimitri for leaving. I didn't. For once in my life time I didn't hold a grudge.

When Adrian had walked in the building, I didn't move. I only flicked my eyes towards him. He took one look at me and he knew what was wrong.

"Belikov told everybody that he was leaving," Adrian shouted from the other side of the gym. I could tell he felt bad. Sympathy was written all over his face. "I had a feeling you would be upset. Then, Lissa asked if he had told you and he visibly flinched, so I figured it was a lot worse than I had originally thought." He began to close the distance between us, and when there was no space left, he sat beside me, snaking one arm around my shoulder. I didn't push him off.

"I just can't believe it," I told him truthfully. I was still having issues grasping the fact that Dimitri would no longer be in my life. The rare smiles that I craved, I would never see again. I would never hear that warm laugh wrap around me like a gentle embrace. Everything that I looked forward to in a day at St. Vladimir's was gone right before my eyes.

Adrian and I sat in silence for a while. Believe it or not, his presence did help comfort me. "You know," he said softly. "He's a jackass. He doesn't even deserve you."

I let out a low, humorless laugh. "Please. He was too _good_ for me, and he knew it. That's why he left." I knew it wasn't true. Dimitri cared about me equally as much as I cared for him. That was the real reason that he had decided to go with Tasha. Still, for some reason I felt like criticizing myself would make the pain go away. It didn't work.

"Come on now, Little Dhampir. You know that's not true. Even I could tell he didn't enjoy hurting you. He just knew that you were much too wonderful for him."

I liked that Adrian was making an effort. It made me feel bad about all my nasty thoughts directed to him. He stood up, and grabbed my wrist while doing so. "Come on. Time to return to civilization." He pulled me off the ground. I glared at him.

"I need to go straight to my room," I told him. He nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you would have a lot of explaining to do as to why you look like that." Great. I was probably red and puffy from the crying.

Adrian walked me back to my room, quiet the whole way. When he got to my room, I hesitated before opening the door. "Uh, Adrian?" He turned and looked at me. "Thank you. You're the only one who knows, and…I appreciate you being there."

Understandably, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. I didn't really make a habit out of showing gratitude. "Anytime, Little Dhampir. Get some sleep. If you need _anything_ else you know where to find me." He grinned and walked away. I had a feeling that the 'anything else' he was referring to dealt a lot more with physical satisfaction, rather than emotional. Typical Adrian Ivashkov.

The weirdest part is that I found myself laughing as I entered my room. When I got inside, I went directly to my bed, not bothering to change or anything. When I hit the pillow I expected to fall asleep instantly, instead I was haunted with images of what could have been and what will be.

At first I started out by remembering all the wonderful moments Dimitri and I had shared together. Those brought a smile to my face. I remembered the feel of his lips on mine, his hands running across my body the day we were nailed with the lust charm. I remembered the way he would look at me sometimes, as if I were the only girl in the world. Every little compliment that he had ever given. Each one of those warm gazes we exchanged. All of those memories would be etched in my mind forever. And that's the only place they would ever be—in my mind. Dimitri was never coming back.

Then, I thought about the kiss in the gym. It was filled with love and passion, and it made my heart beat erratically. And then a whole new wash of despair enveloped me. It was the last time I would ever touch Dimitri, whether along kiss him. This time, I held back the tears.

That wasn't so easy as I began to envision Dimitri standing next to Tasha. Holding her hand. Leaning in for a kiss. I could practically see him forgetting about me. The next shred of pain that ripped through me was the worst that I had experienced that whole night. I grasped my chest because it was so horrible.

I'm not really sure when I fell asleep. I didn't realize that I had until I woke up the next morning.

At least there were no nightmares.

Unfortunately, there _were_ loud pounds on my door. Loud, impatient knocking that sounded like it had been doing that for a while. I groaned and tore myself away from the comfort of my bed to go answer the obnoxious intruder. When I swung open the door, I was greeted with Alberta's face. Wonderful.

"Rosemary, may I come in?" She asked urgently.

I grunted a sort of agreement and stepped to the side. When she was in, she didn't bother sitting down or anything. "I'm going to cut to the point. Guardian Belikov has departed this morning, and you are going to need a new mentor."

I smiled, trying to hide the searing burn that spread throughout my body at the immediate reminder. "Guardian Petrov, do you mind if we deal with this some other time? I just woke up, and I'm not really in the mood to talk about …the current situation." Alberta knew nothing of the relationship Dimitri and I shared. Only Adrian did. She didn't realize just how much the mention of his name hurt me. She never would either, even if Dimitri and me were a thing in the past, it was still better to keep it on the DL. It was still illegal.

"This most certainly cannot wait. This is your future, Miss Hathaway."

I sighed. "Okay. I need a new mentor. Got it. Is that all you came here to say?"

She shot me a look telling me to be careful. "Fortunately the Spokane incident happened to attract a lot of attention and outside help. When we discovered that Guardian Belikov would be leaving, the Academy was lucky enough to snag another outstanding guardian. He will be your new mentor."

Great. It was another guy. I didn't need any more men in my life. Ever. At that point, it sounded good to just grow old and die next to Lissa. But this dude would probably be some forty year old ass hole who was going to do nothing but bitch at me. "Thank you for the information. I'll see you Monday!"

Alberta looked at me like I was crazy. I was well aware that I was on the verge of insanity after everything I had endured over the past week. "Don't be ridiculous. You must change into fresh clothes and meet with him immediately."

Did immediately include hours from now, when the rest of the world had waken up? By the look on her face? No, it didn't. "Okay, Guardian Petrov. I'll go get dressed and meet him in the gym."

"I don't think so, Miss Hathaway. I have yet to meet the young man myself."

Woah. Wait. Young? "How old is he?" I asked. Maybe by young she meant thirty-five.

"Twenty-four. The same age as Guardian Belikov, actually."

You have got to be kidding me. Then again, it wasn't like I was going to be trying to hook up with any guys anytime soon. Especially my mentor. What were the odds of getting another one that was just as gorgeous as Dimitri? Slim to none. Nobody compared to Dimitri.

"No kidding," I said flatly.

Alberta gave a sort of nod that was supposed to tell me to go get dressed. It was kind of awkward, knowing that one of my instructors was just in the other room waiting for me. But I suppose if it was Dimitri I would be thrilled to death.

I walked to my closet, ripping the first hoodie I saw off of the hanger, and grabbing a random pair of jeans. I remembered, back to before I had taken Lissa away from the Academy, how much clothes had meant to me. I would spend a lot of time blow drying my hair and putting on makeup like a typical teenager. I didn't really get that opportunity anymore, and a part of me—no matter how unimportant it truly is—missed that a great deal.

"So who is this guy anyways?" I asked Alberta as we made our way towards the school gym where Dimitri and I had done all of our trainings. Where he had told me he was leaving. Great, not thinking about Dimitri was going to be a lot more difficult than I had hoped for.

"His name is Ethan Drozdov," she explained.

I paused. "Drozdov? But that's a royal name." As if she didn't know already.

"Yes, "she agreed. "It is. I was a bit startled at first too. I heard that his mother died when he was very young and he had grown up with his father. If you want to know any more information you're going to have to ask him."

There was no more conversation throughout the walk, as Alberta allowed me to ponder the situation. It was crazy. Dhampirs could not be royals, but I still wondered if there were any bonus perks that came with the name. Did people treat him differently? It was never something I had considered before. I had never even heard of a situation like that.

I was still pretty lost in thought as we reached the gym entrance. The moment I walked in, I saw him. He was not as tall as Dimitri—probably six-foot-five—but he had about the same amount of muscle. He turned around at the sound of our footsteps, and I got a look at his face. My first impression was that he was okay-looking. I knew that immediately judging my mentor's looks were wrong, but I needed something to distract me from the pain of recent events.

As Ethan came closer to Alberta and me, I noticed that he was a lot better than okay. He had bright hazel eyes and a huge smile. He walked with a sort of arrogant stride that was both quick and graceful. He was in a pair of casual blue jeans and a white v-neck shirt that made him look somewhat like a model. If Dimitri was a ten, this guy was a nine.

When he reached us, he took Alberta's hand and flashed another dazzling smile. "You must be Alberta," he shook it lightly, and then moved to grab my hand. "and you must be the dreaded Rose Hathaway." I jerked my hand away from his callused fingers and shot Alberta a look.

"I'm not that bad," I said still staring down Alberta who shook her head at me as if to say she had nothing to do with that.

Ethan let out a loud laugh. "From what I hear? You're not bad—your worse." His eyes locked on mine for a split second and I realized I was wrong about the color. They weren't hazel. Ethan had golden eyes. I wasn't sure what to compare them to. All I knew was that I had never seen eyes that color. And though they didn't hold the same warmth and security that Dimitri's eyes had held, they were vibrant and beautiful. "And don't you dare think someone as beautiful as Guardian Petrov here," his eyes flicked to her, "could be accused of that slander."

I choked on my laugh. Alberta didn't seem to think it was all that funny.

"Well then, it was nice meeting you Guardian Drozdov. I'll just give you and Miss Hathaway some time to get acquainted. Your training sessions begin on Monday morning." She then left me alone with the second hottest guy I had ever laid eyes on.

"Wow," I said when she was gone. "just got here and you're already sucking up."

Ethan turned his full attention to me, the golden pools in his eyes absorbing all of me. I felt a shiver race through me as he examined my body. When he was finished, he raised his eyebrows. "If you would like, I could start sucking up to you."

"Yeah? Well, I don't think any amount of sucking up would get me to like you. I'm sure you've heard how much I appreciate the authority figures." That wasn't entirely true, obviously. Dimitri was an instructor and I had definitely appreciated him. I just didn't want to give this guy any ideas.

"I can tell you're going to be fun to work with," he said with an arrogant smirk that matched his walk.

He was making no secret of his flirtation, and it made me uncomfortable while simultaneously thrilling me. I was nowhere near ready to move on from Dimitri—he had only left me last night, or actually this morning—but I could not deny that this guy was basically on fire, he was so hot.

The only problem was that I found myself comparing his every feature to Dimitri's. His sandy brown hair was not as long or as lush. His eyelashes weren't as thick. His skin wasn't as bronzed. His southern drawl not nearly as sexy as Dimitri's Russian accent. And it wasn't just physically that Ethan was lacking. He clearly did not attain the same degree of self-control that Dimitri had managed. Dimitri had a fierce determination written all over him, as well. Ethan did not. That was why I loved Dimitri. We were alike on so many levels. And looking at Ethan Drozdov, I had never felt so different from anybody.

But I had read somewhere once that love and lust often did not accompany each other, and my hormones were raving just looking at Ethan.

"So what did you have in mind for getting acquainted?" His voice had taken on a tone of seduction. I acted like I hadn't noticed and shrugged.

"You're the boss here. I'm forced to do what you want me to." That did not come out right.

"I don't think you want the same things I do," he said with a small chuckle in his voice.

I tried to act flippant. "Maybe not. Let's just get to know each other."

He nodded. "What do you want to know?"

"How old are you?" I knew the answer, but I was hoping that a thick reminder to him about our age difference would cause him to back off.

"Twenty-four," he told me.

"Oh. I'm seventeen, but you already knew that."

"In my eyes, age is nothing but a number." He caught on quickly.

"I see. So are you going to be Lissa's guardian when she graduates?" That was another obstacle between mine and Dimitri's relationship. And while part of me yearned for him to say no, another part hoped he would say yes.

"Who?"

"Princess Dragomir," I explained. I forgot that those who hadn't grown up with Lissa knew her as Vasilisa or Princess Dragomir rather than her much preferred Americanized name.

"Oh. No."

"That's odd. Guardian Belikov was going to be her guardian, and I figured that if you were taking his place as my mentor you'd probably be taking his place there too." _Taking his place._ Oh god, those words her me so badly, but I didn't show it.

Ethan's eyes lit up and grew bigger at the mention of Dimitri. "What was Guardian Belikov like?" He asked excitedly. He had an admiring look on his face, as if he were a ten year old boy and I had just told him that I had invited his favorite celebrity over to the house for his birthday. I guess in some ways, that was exactly what Dimitri was, though. A celebrity. I had not been the first one to call Dimitri a god, and I would not be the last.

But I really did not want to talk about him right now.

I thought about his question. There was an endless possibility of answers. Dimitri was sweet, stubborn, passionate, gorgeous, loving. But none of that felt right to voice. I wasn't sure what _would_ feel right, though. I knew Dimitri like nobody else did. I understood him. He understood me. He had so many qualities that I relished, and fitting all the wonderful things about him into one short answer was impossible. "Guardian Belikov was the most amazing man I ever met."

The words themselves sounded like they would come from a teenager still hung up on her ex, but they were spoken with utter respect. The kind of respect anybody should give somebody like Dimitri. And Ethan knew that. "Were you guys close?"

I almost laughed. I almost cried. Instead, I shielded my emotions with a guardian mask that I had worked hard to master. "I suppose. He was there for me through a lot of tough times. He supported me like any mentor should."

"Is that a hint?" He laughed, despite my heavy heart. I almost forgot I was talking to my future tutor.

I forced myself to laugh along with him, though I could tell in his voice that he was semi-curious. He had obviously never been an instructor before and this was all knew to him. I wondered how he held up in a fight. Certainly nowhere near as well as Dimitri.

"So where are you from?" I asked, trying to avert the subject from Dimitri.

"Florida," he told me.

That was pretty cool. I had never been to Florida before, and I figured that must have been a pretty fun place to hold an academy, despite the discomfort of all the sunshine for the Moroi. "Then why do you have an accent?"

"_Southern_ Florida." He said with a grimace.

And on that went for the next hour. Back and forth questions about each other. Ethan was generally interesting, but he was so open. He was nothing like Dimitri, and admittedly the lack of mystery was pretty un-intriguing.

He was pretty funny though. He had a sense of humor that was generally similar to mine, and unlike Dimitri he seemed to find my sarcastic remarks hilarious. It was kind of annoying.

When we were done, the two of us stood up from the wood that we had both sprawled out on halfway through our conversation. As we were heading opposite ways, Ethan called out, "Hey, Rose?" I turned to face him. "For the record, I don't think you're all that bad." He flashed me a dazzling grin, then turned towards guardian housing.

Oh boy, if he meant that. He was really in store for a surprise.

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**

**I need feedback :D**


	3. Chapter 3

My training sessions with Ethan were definitely not what I was used to. In a strange way, that was comforting. If the lessons went just as they had with Dimitri then I would probably feel like Ethan really was taking Dimitri's place. But the obvious differences proved that Dimitri truly was irreplaceable, and nobody was really trying to prove otherwise.

As I had initially suspected, Ethan was nowhere near as talented as Dimitri. That didn't mean he had no skill, Dimitri was just very difficult to measure up to.

Over the past couple of weeks, the training became something I looked forward to. Not for the same reasons I used to look forward to my before and after school lessons. Now, it brought over a sense of peace. I admit that I frequently let my mind wander to Dimitri, and the gaping pain that opened in my chest the night he told me he was leaving was the same pain that accompanied the thoughts of him still.

The punching and the kicking helped to subside that pain. It was a tremendous way to take out every emotion that was burning in my blood. When I was fighting I didn't have to pretend everything was alright and that I was happy. I could really admit to myself how stupid I was for not only falling for somebody totally off limits, but revolving my mind around them. And I could take it out on the punching bag.

As for the dummies, I wasn't really sure who I imagined them being. I guess they were mostly different people. Sometimes Dimitri, because as much as he loved me he still left. Other times it was Tasha for barging in and fucking up my life. But I wasn't mad at either of them, so that was rare.

I guess it was most often that I pictured them as Strigoi. I would visualize the piercing red eyes and I would gain my sense and my sanity.

I needed to kill Strigoi. No, better yet, I needed to protect Lissa. That was what I had dedicated my life to, that was my main goal. Consuming myself in an inappropriate relationship was me letting go of that goal. Something I couldn't afford to do.

I mean, what was the use of love anyways? It only caused me a broken heart. It was only a distraction.

_Yeah, Rose. Keep telling yourself how pointless it is. It's obviously helping you feel better._

And it made me cynical. I was even using attitude towards myself.

That was when I would punch harder or drive the stake deeper.

As if Ethan were trying to emphasize the cavernous difference between him and Dimitri, sometimes he would let me off early. Not that ten minutes really made a difference when you're caught up in the heat of training.

One time, he even gave me breakfast.

"What's this?" I asked, accepting the brown paper bag, rolled at the neck.

Ethan shrugged, a shy smile tilting his lips. "I've heard about your appetite. I figured you'd be hungry."

I grinned at him, and opened the bag. The smell of grease and bacon wafted to my nostrils and I looked back up at Ethan. When he was positive I was satisfied, his own mouth stretched into a smile. His eyes seemed pleased.

I flopped down on the wood beneath me and relaxed against the wall. I quickly removed an egg and sausage sandwich, some hash browns and my beloved bacon. My mouth was on the verge of watering. "Are you aware that you just brought me heaven in a bag?" I asked, smile never leaving my face.

"I'm glad," he said. "Most girls are against the grease and carbs, but then again, you're not like most girls."

I didn't respond. There was nothing to say. Ethan had a tendency to drop flirty hints every opportunity he could find. I can't say I didn't enjoy them because that would by lying.

It had been only two weeks since Dimitri had left, and my feelings for him had not eased any. Me and Dimitri were in _love_. It was not some unrequited crush; some unreciprocated feelings. What we shared had been the real deal. Maybe it was foolish for me to believe what we shared had even been impenetrable. Even when we couldn't be together the way we wanted.

Guardians; we had a strict set of rules and regulations that we were expected to abide by. Most of the time I chose not to follow those rules. But sometimes you don't have a choice, not when you have officially dedicated yourself to those rules. Those rules had been what tore my soul mate away from me, shredding my heart like an unwanted piece of paper.

I hated those rules. Thinking of them made me sick while simultaneously lighting a fire in me, one that caught even myself off guard. I felt exhilarated now that I had something to pin the blame on. Since Dimitri had left I had gone through the motions: lunch with Lissa, Christian and Eddie; sitting through my classes; joking around with the other novices. But that's all it had been—motions. I had never really found the proper time to sulk and I refused to let anybody see that something was wrong.

With all of that, I had grown a resentment inside of me that tumbled around my body just as loudly as the pain. It was an empty resentment, though. I had nobody to blame except myself. _Why?_ I would frequently ask myself. _Why must I be so tempted by the forbidden?_

Finally, I had something other than myself to hold responsible for the insistent ache. I had to get back at it. Get back at _the rules_! I needed everyone to see that I wouldn't remain lost and weak, I would only get even.

I knew the perfect way to do it, but it would have to wait. It certainly wasn't something I could accomplish while stuffing a sandwich into my mouth and inhaling the bacon.

"So," I said between mouthfuls as Ethan took a seat beside me, his knee lightly bumping mine. "Tell me about your last name. What's the deal with that?"

He laughed lightly and sighed. "I'm surprise it took you so long to ask."

I waited for him to go on. "Okay, well when I was a baby my mother had been killed in a car crash." His eyes had lost the slight amusement that usually clouded them, lost the arrogance too. "My father felt uncomfortable shipping me to an academy while I was so young so he took me in. He wasn't like you'd imagine Moroi fathers to be. While growing up, I mostly forgot about the difference between our races until attending Greenwich Academy. I had grown up with him, and it was only normal I inherit his last name, right?"

As far as I could tell, Ethan wasn't a particularly serious guy, but at that moment his face was stern, breathing faintly ragged, as if this topic hurt him. "I'm sorry," I whispered, breaking the tense silence that had fallen between us. "About your mom."

He shook his head a little, and all the darkness in his features evaporated and he turned to me, one eyebrow cocked. "I imagine you know a thing or two about car crashes. I heard about that one with Princess Dragomir's family."

"Yeah, I sort of died in it." He shot me a look full of disbelief and doubt, definitely questioning my sanity. "It's a long story," I rushed on. "But I'm not crazy, not really."

His eyes locked onto mine, the endless pit of golden mesmerizing me. "I don't know if I can believe that," he said softly. His gaze had become more intense, as if he were trying to see into my soul; my heart. "They say the beautiful ones are always crazy."

I heard my weak inhale of breath and realized that the force drawing my face nearer to his on the scuffed up gym floor had nothing to do with breaking the rules. His masculine hands came up to brush a stray piece of hair from my face. The tell tale sign that he was about to kiss me, that we were about to reach the point of no return. Still, I found myself inching closer to him, my heart rate accelerating, my breath speeding up.

"I'm okay with crazy." It was a murmur, coming from somewhere deep in his chest. That was when I went to close the remaining distance between us. Our lips had hardly brushed against each other, and then we jerked apart at the sound of the gym door opening.

"Ethan!" A strange voice sort of sing-songed as footsteps reverberated towards us.

"I'm sorry," Ethan said, eyes pleading with me to not get angry at the interruption. In all honesty, I was glad. I didn't want to go there with Ethan. I thought I did, for the sake of revenge, for the sake of trying for happiness, but I couldn't. It just wasn't right. In fact, it was just as wrong as me and Dimitri had been, only I didn't love this guy. His touch didn't set my skin on fire, his voice didn't melt my bones.

His touch had tempted me, but it didn't ignite anything fierce.

"Ethan!" The voice called again, then a figure appeared. A man, oddly familiar looking, though I was certain I had never seen him before.

Ethan jumped up from beside me, rushing over to the man standing in the hallway. Dark, dark, red hair that was somewhat tousled. A splattering of freckles across his face. A big, goofy grin.

My heart might have stopped in that moment, I know my breathing did. I didn't pounce from my spot as I would have expected. In fact, I remained motionless, afraid that if I moved even the slightest bit the guy in front of me would disappear.

After several heavy moments to me—the other two were oblivious, lost in conversation—I forced the rock in the back of my throat back, and found my voice. "Mason!'

**DUN DUN DUN! I KNOW I KNOW, SUPER SHORT :O**

**Sorry about that, but I figured this seemed like a good cliffy. Sorry it has taken me about 3246546343165465432132416546 years to update. I've been sort of preoccupied with lots of other things. But I'm trying, I really am. **

**Sorry if this doesn't really sound like Rose, I've sort of lost my touch but I'm trying to get it back. I'll improve, I swear! **

**So, I just want to let you guys know that I really enjoy twists and turns in a story, and if you think you can predict what is going to happen or if you think my story is going to turn out like every other story, then I beg you: please just give me a chance. I swear, I'm going to throw in some stuff and you're just going to be like "WHAT!"**

**Okay, I'm done now. Review please :D **

**Maybe if I get really good reviews I'll update quicker. **


	4. Chapter 4

The guy standing in the hallway shot me a questioning look. "You know Mason?" he asked. Of course it wasn't Mason. What had I been thinking? That would be impossible. I watched Mason die, held his lifeless body, attended his funeral. Mason was gone...

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it again. He had used the present tense when speaking about Mason. Was he talking about somebody different? No, that would be too much of a coincidence. Maybe he just didn't know Mason was dead. "Do you?"

By the way the guy's face slightly fell, the way his eyes drooped, I could tell that I had been wrong. He definitely knew about Mason's death. I felt awful for giving him another reminder. "Yup. I'm Jackson Ashford. Mason's brother."

"Mason had a brother?" I asked incredulously. This whole time I had believed that he was an only child!

His goofy grin had dried up into something dark, something mischievous. "It doesn't really surprise me you haven't heard of me," he said. "I was always the bad child."

I back to Mason and how he and I had been so much alike. I remembered how he had always been willing to assist me in every reckless stunt I decided to pull. He had attempted that insane skiing route with me before he died. That wasn't something I would ever forget. "_You_ were the bad one?" There was no disrespect towards Mason in my voice, I had always loved his carefree attitude. I missed him so much.

Jackson laughed at that. Loud and Mason-like. "Yeah. I graduated three years ago, but when I was a freshman I had witnessed my first Strigoi attack. My mind wandered to…dark places after that. I ended up attacking one of the royals here, at St. Vlads. It put him in the hospital and apparently that was the last straw for my mother. She said she needed me out of her household and out of her life. She was one of those religious freaks and claimed that I held the devil somewhere within me." He ran a hand through his already tousled hair and gave an irritated laugh.

"Crazy right?" He continued. "She fights Strigoi all the time, yet she believed _I_ contained evil. Anyways, Mason was pretty young then and left completely out of the loop, so he didn't really understand what was going on when my Mom shipped me off to Florida. Her brother lives there and has quite a bit of influence over Greenwich, so there was somebody to constantly keep tabs on me and report back to her, despite the fact that she told me she wanted nothing to do with me." He snorted.

"About a month later she kept calling leaving messages that were begging me for forgiveness. But I wouldn't even speak a word to her. I let her live in peace just like she wanted." He tossed his shoulders into a shrug.

I heard a phone ring somewhere beside me and I turned to see Ethan—who I had completely forgotten about as Jackson ensnared me inside of his story—digging through his pocket and pulling out a shiny black phone. He pressed it to his ear, listened a few moments, then muttered something in reply to the person on the other side.

"Sorry," he told Jackson and I after he hung up. "Kirova needs me for something real quick. Rose, I'll be back for our training session in a few minutes. In the meantime, keep Jackson company." He grinned and jogged out of the gym.

"Rose Hathaway?" Jackson asked after a beat of silence.

I nodded. Ever since the incident in Spokane, I had become a large gossip topic: the reckless runaway novice that had transformed into the here when she killed two Strigoi in order to rescue her friends. People recognizing me was something I had quickly gotten used to. And although I often blamed myself for the tragedy, others did not. I was practically a celebrity, a legend. That was why Jackson's next words had shocked me.

"It's your fault!"

I gasped. Did he know that I was responsible for Mason being killed? Maybe he and his brother spoke more often than he had initially insinuated. They did seem to share various qualities in both looks and personality. Maybe, I realized with silent horror, before he was killed, Mason had told his brother that he had been crazy about me and when Jackson heard that I was involved with what had happened in Spokane he fit the pieces together: I had broken Mason's hearty and in the end it had led to his death. I had broken Mason's heart and hadn't even been able to save him when he sacrificed himself for my safety.

Jackson had just confirmed my most terrifying fears. _It was all my fault. _

I wasn't sure how to respond. Sorry I caused your brother to set out on a suicide mission? Sorry that I didn't love him the way he would have liked, yet he still broke the ultimate guardian rule, putting me before his Moroi? Sorry I hadn't been quick enough to decapitate the bastards that had taken his life from him, from _us_? None of that seemed like an appropriate response, so I stayed quiet, feeling the tears that threatened to well up. I used all of the strength that had not fleeted my mind and body and forced them back.

"You took my best friend away from me," he went on as I stood dumbfounded. He didn't seem as angry or grief-stricken as I would have suspected he would be if Mason had truly been his best friend.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered.

"I suppose it actually isn't _your_ fault that Kirova assigned Ethan to you. Though, I don't think Ethan is really complaining. I wouldn't be if I were him."

I was taken aback. "Ethan?"

"Of course. Me and Ethan have been roomies since I moved to Florida. Even after he graduated four years before me. He was handed a Moroi that still attended the Academy and instead of moving into the guardian headquarters he stayed with me. What did _you_ think I was talking about?"

I was instantly filled with a rush of relief, though I felt kind of foolish. "I—uh—well—"

"Mason," he stated matter-of-factly. "You thought I was blaming you for Mason. I heard you were involved but that's all I know. _Are_ you at fault?"

Nobody had ever asked me that and though I thoroughly believed that if it wasn't for me, Mason would still be here—still be joking and making everybody laugh—I wasn't going to make him feel sorry for me. I wasn't going to say aloud all of the heart wrenching things I had kept locked safely inside of my mind.

"I think so," I whispered.

Jackson took a step forward, he rested a hand on my chin and tilted my face—that I hadn't realized was bent down—and met my eyes. His eyes were shockingly blue, bluer than Mason's had ever been. Bluer, even, than Christian's. "You're not," he told me softly.

"But you just said you don't know anything about what happened," I reminded him.

He nodded slowly, hand still placed lightly against my face. The contact was somehow reassuring. "I don't," he agreed. "But I am quite familiar with the concept of guilt. True guilt, I know for a fact, has an interesting way of working. It eats you up inside, makes you sick, makes you regret. You may be feeling all of that, but if it was as strong as true guilt would provoke, then you wouldn't have time to focus on your sadness, your grief. You wouldn't be able to remember Mason, remember all the memories. You can, though, I can tell."

"But you don't understand! Mason loved me. I had trusted him and told him confidential information that I wasn't even supposed to know. Then, I had hurt him. I pushed him away. And I was about to do so even more when I discovered he was gone. I was on my way to dump him when I found out that he left." I took a deep breath to steady my wavering voice. "And then—then he came back for me! I was fighting the Strigoi and I told him to take the Moroi and run, but he didn't. He got them safely out and came back!"

I hadn't the slightest idea why I was telling him all of this. He was a complete stranger. Maybe it was that he had reminded me so much of Mason that I felt like I was making the confession to my dead friend rather than his brother. Maybe it was that the only person I had ever confided all of these details in was Dimitri, and he was gone. Maybe it had all just built up inside of me for so long that I had to release it as soon as possible.

Or maybe it just felt like I had known Jackson for much longer than ten minutes.

"And there's the magic words." He was still speaking softly, still looking me directly in the eye, still holding my face. "You trusted him with the information. He knew that it was private, right? In the end it was his choices that had led him to where he is now. He shouldn't have gone back for you. From what I hear, you're more than capable of handling yourself."

His words sounded so much like what Dimitri had told me after I received my tattoos. I believed Dimitri then, just like I believed Jackson now. Usually when people assured me that what happened wasn't my fault it made me angry. Usually I felt like I deserved to be blamed. But Jackson had managed to comfort me. It wasn't pity that was motivating what he was saying. It had been his brother, after all, that died.

When Jackson spoke, I knew he was telling the truth.

Then, I felt Jackson's rough hand move from my chin to my cheek, swiping his hand gently across it. Wiping away tears I hadn't realized I was shedding.

"Thank you," I said. Oddly, I felt not even a hint of embarrassment at him seeing me cry. I felt like it made us closer, like he understood me more.

He grinned, trying to lighten the mood, obviously. "I've always got to help the damsel in distress."

That was the same attitude that Mason had always held. That was what caused him to fight for me at the royal court when some scumbags were feeling on my ass, it was what had caused him to come back for me in Spokane.

I flinched, not even bothering to scold him for calling me a _damsel_.

Thankfully, before I could burst into tears, or maybe seek even more comfort from the guy in front of me, Ethan entered the gym once more.

He walked towards us looking awed and a little pale. "What's up, dude?" Jackson asked, stepping away from me before Ethan had time to realize what was going on.

"I just talked to Dimitri Belikov," he breathed as if it were the most incredible thing that could happen. As if the lord or whoever he believes in just contacted him.

I froze. Dimitri had called and talked to Kirova, talked to Ethan. Who else did he speak with? Lissa? Christian? Maybe he was just avoiding me.

Jackson gasped. "No way! Why?"

"He wanted to make sure I was following the proper guidelines he left for the training with Rose. He was…passionate, to say the least."

I smiled, trying to eliminate the sadness that had tainted it. "That sounds like Dim—Guardian Belikov."

"Dimitri Belikov was your previous mentor?" Jackson asked skeptically. "He's like a freaking legend at Greenwich! They say he even beat the shit out of his own dad! Dude, Ethan, good luck living up to that. Rose, I bet you think that Ethan here sucks at fighting."

"Guardian Belikov was my mentor," I nodded. "He was awesome, and I know that. I don't think Ethan's bad, but he isn't as good as Guardian Belikov. No offense or anything. I learned pretty quickly that nobody is as good as he is, not really."

"I was wondering why Ethan was always complaining about the bruises you give him. You're better than your own teacher!" He cracked up like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

Ethan stayed quiet, blushing. The shade of red looked boyish on him, adorable.

"I'm not better than him!" I defended. "Believe me, I have a lot to learn. Ask Guardian Belikov."

Ethan looked at me, gaze confused. "Guardian Belikov seemed quite proud of you, affectionate even."

My heart swelled, threatening to tear open at any moment. "Really?" I tried to keep my voice calm, even.

"Yeah. He seemed like he really cares about you. Why did he leave you again?"

The way Ethan phrased the question was like a stab to the heart. He didn't ask why Dimitri left the academy or Montana. He asked why Dimitri left _me_. "To be with Tasha Ozera," I grumbled.

"Oh, right," Jackson mused. I heard they're more than just guardian and Moroi. I hear they're, like, a couple."

I took a large, deep breath. This wasn't something I enjoyed discussing, but if I tried to switch the topic, I had a feeling they would realize something was wrong.

"And," Jackson continued. "Why do you refer to him as Guardian Belikov when you call Ethan by his first name?"

"Because," Ethan answered for me, a sly smile crossing his lips. "We have more of a personal relationship than just teacher and student. Much more, I'm sure, than Guardian Belikov. I hear he doesn't really let anybody in. Aside from Tasha Ozera, of course."

_STOP_! I wanted to plead. I wanted to _forget _about Dimitri. I needed to move on, and hearing about him and Tasha together wasn't helping me any.

"Nice, dude!" Jackson said in the testosteroney way that males always had.

"Ethan!" I scolded. I turned to face Jackson. "It's not like that. Ethan and I are just friends."

"We are?" Ethan asked at the same time Jackson arched an eyebrow and said, "Really? So you're open for the taking?"

I ignored both of the question and faced Ethan again. "Shouldn't we be training?"

He waved a hand at me. "You can take a break for the day. I won't tell anybody if you don't. I want to spend some time with Jackson."

"Oh, well, I'll just leave you two to talk then," I said awkwardly.

I pivoted and headed for the doors, but was interrupted by a "No!" from Jackson.

I paused, one foot lifted. "Would you like to join us?" Jackson asked, suddenly formal.

I shrugged and walked back towards them. "I guess. I've still got over an hour before my classes start."

I looked towards Ethan for permission. He nodded sternly and then I read it in his eyes. He was jealous of Jackson! Maybe because I had made it clear to his friend that Ethan and I were nothing romantically. Or perhaps it could be that I kept trying to sneak discreet looks at Jackson.

Did Ethan have a reason to be jealous? Not really. I had just met the guy. But I couldn't deny that while Ethan was speaking with Dimitri, Jackson and I instantly connected. I told him stuff I had never told Ethan.

Oh god. Not more guy issues.

**I decided to do a quick update because I got so many awesome reviews :D**

**Thank you all! Well, what do you think of Jackson? He has qualities of both Mason and Dimitri. Funny and immature, yet also serious and wise! **

**But that doesn't mean Dimitri's gone for good. In fact, he'll be back within the next few chapters :O**

**Please review and tell me what you think! I love all my awesome fans ;D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I haven't written in so long. I know excuses are petty, but I like to believe that I have a good one. Have you ever moved to a different state? If you have, you know it SUCKS! Yeah, I just moved from Florida to Arkansas, and it is…weird. So, It's taken me a while to adjust, but I'm finally ready to write again :D **

**This may not be as good as the previous chapters, but I just need to get back into the groove! **

"How are you holding up, little dhampir?"

I knew that voice anywhere, though I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing. Still, the silky arrogance was unmistakable and, startlingly enough, it brought a smile to my lips. I turned from the punching bag that I had been pummeling for the past hour.

Adrian was as gorgeous as ever; stylishly ruffled hair, prim clothing that was doubtlessly custom-made, and glimmering emerald eyes. Just the sight of him sent a rush of comfort down my spine, security tingled on my skin. Though I would never admit it, Adrian's presence had become familiar and maybe even pleasant. He wasn't a particularly complex person, and I was grateful that I hardly ever had to struggle to figure him out. He was so typically Adrian, once you got to know him. His normalcy was a refreshing twist from the jumbling chaos that seemed to constantly glower at me.

"Yu didn't tell Lissa or Christian, did you?" I asked. Adrian had been loyal since I met him, not blubbering a word about the forbidden—and painfully complicated—relationship that Dimitri and I had shared to a single person. I didn't think that had changed, but I had to be certain.

Adrian sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his crisp black slacks. "No. You know I wouldn't. But I have to ask…" He hesitated, deliberating whether he should or should not ask what he truly wanted to know. He nodded to himself, almost unnoticeably, having made up his mind. "Why are you protecting him, little dhampir? He hurt you, yet you refuse to tarnish his reputation. Who am I to talk, though? Here I stand, reprimanding you for the very reason I deserve to be reprimanded. Does that make me a hypocrite, or just signify that I care?"

What was it I said about Adrian not being complex?

He was just babbling in the way that indicated that spirit was beginning to control him. I had known the guy for only a few months, but his random spurts of crazy were no longer odd to me. The words that came out of his mouth may baffle me from time to time, but again, it was part of who Adrian was, how he operated. I waited a few moments, knowing he would snap out of it.

He blinked, dazed. "I can't believe I just said that."

I shrugged lazily. "Don't worry about it. I don't even think anything of it," I told him.

Adrian turned his face away from me, suddenly interested in the gym walls. "Of course not," he mumbled. "You never have."

I took a slow step closer to him. "What are you talking about, Adrian?" I asked, obviously confused. I could only see the side of his face, but I couldn't read his expression. Perhaps he had never truly exited out of crazy mode?

Adrian released a lengthy breath before bringing his suddenly serious eyes to mine. "Just because I was having one of my...moments, doesn't mean that everything I said was nonsense."

I allowed myself a few seconds to consider his words, but I still didn't really understand. Maybe, though, and I knew that this was a large possibility, I was hounded with exhaustion and I was overlooking some key factor. I hadn't slept well the past few days and I was spending excessive time in the Academy's gym. Ever since I had almost kissed Ethan and my peculiar and instant connection to Jackson, my mind had turned into a harboring of scattered emotions. I wasn't sure what to feel other than the insistent sting that Dimitri had left behind.

"I still don't get it," I sighed, finally, forcing my mind away from the dreadful memories.

"Just think about it," Adrian responded, adopting a somber tone that was entirely new to him. "Maybe with Belikov gone, you'll be able to see clearly. When you do, I'll be waiting. What else _can_ I do?"

_**ADRIAN'S POV:**_

I didn't come to St. Vladimir's to learn spirit. Sure, it was an excellent benefit, but an even better excuse. I took residency at the Academy because once I saw Rose, I couldn't un-see her.

Was it pathetic that I remembered that night so perfectly? That after speaking with her, and sometimes even to this day, I would conjure up her image in my mind, replay our conversation as clearly as if I were watching it all on television? She was bruised, sporting a black eye that her mother had given her. She wore a layer of sweat and battered skiing clothes. Her hair was mussed, poking out like a cat that had just waken from a nap.

I remembered thinking that I had never seen anybody so beautiful. That thought in itself was shocking to me. Beautiful? That word was reserved for things like European sport cars and Russian vodka. Not women. To me, women had always been hot or sexy.

But Rose Hathaway was beautiful.

Her demanding attitude and sarcastic remarks only increased her appeal.

Looking back, I realized that I had fallen in love with Rose before we had even exchanged a single word. At the time, though, I was buzzing with a feeling of euphoria so foreign to me, yet so brilliant, and I knew that if I didn't follow Rose back to St. Vlad's, it was likely I would never see her again.

I had made my attraction to her fairly evident, but it was like she was immune to my charm and the feelings of those around her—besides Lissa, of course. Rose had never once blinked when I flirted. She was too caught up in that _damn_ Dimitri Belikov. I understood, though, I guess. I mean, it made sense if you were into the whole dark and brooding thing. Did Belikov even _have_ any emotion? He had always appeared so blank to me. Or perhaps tortured. Like he would never allow anybody access to what he really felt.

Rose deserved so much better! She belonged with somebody who could give her anything that she could possibly dream of; money, jewelry, children. I could give it all to her and she would never have to lift a finger. I could make her happy.

She couldn't see any of that.

To Rose, there was only Dimitri.

Dimitri, who had left the most incredible woman for somebody else, somebody who absolutely paled in comparison to Rose. He tossed her aside like last year's Armani suit. Despite all of that, she still idolized him, held him on a pedestal so high, that if he were knocked off, the fall would be fatal.

Still, I would wait. Because eventually she would wake up and realize that the guy she really belonged with had been the one beside her the whole time.

In the mean time, another glass of whiskey would be awesome.

_**ROSE'S POV:**_

"You seem distracted," Ethan said as I failed at dodging another blow from him.

"Distracted?"

I was indeed. I was still puzzling over what Adrian had said. Normally, I didn't think too much about situations like that, but the tone in Adrian's voice, the look on his face. It was too much for me to not give another thought to. Was Adrian asking for a relationship?

Adrian Ivashkov, user of alcohol and girls?

"Stop," he demanded, grabbing my fist as my aim missed and hit his shoulder. "What's wrong?" He didn't let go of my fist.

"I don't know," I sighed. "Ever since Guardian Belikov left, things have been really strange for me."

He squeezed slightly on my hand and grinned a sort of mischievous grin. "Is it because of me? Because of us?"

I swallowed and shook my head lightly. "I'm not sure I like the way you say 'us'."

Ethan pulled me toward him, but slowly, giving me time to pull away if I wanted. "Rose, are you attracted to me?"

Figuring that there was no use in lying, I nodded. What good had denying my feelings done for me before? His eyes seemed to sparkle at the confession, and his grin widened. He was obviously getting at something, and my brain told me that I wasn't going to like it.

My hormones on the other hand…

"I'm attracted to you, too," he admitted in a deep, low voice. It wasn't quite a whisper, but it was clear that the statement was meant for me; meant to be intimate. "I say we just take it from there."

Nodding again, I watched as his lips moved closer to mine. I wasn't quite filled with the same anticipation as the last time we had almost kissed, but my heart began to thud in my chest.

_Just take it from there_. Was it really that simple? _Could_ it really be that simple? Maybe he was right, maybe there didn't need to be any complicated feelings involved. If that were the case, kissing him wouldn't be terrible. It wouldn't really hurt anybody. Wasn't I as hurt as I could get?

His grip on my fist went slack and I removed it from his grasp, moving my hand to rest gently on his chest. "Let's just take it from there," I whispered.

Seeing that as his cue, Ethan leaned in further. _Just take it from there. _

"My, my, my. What have we here?"

We jerked apart at our second interruption, and I could see the irritation sparking in Ethan's honey eyes. "Thanks, Jackson," he called, without looking behind him. Apparently, he knew his best friends voice anywhere.

Jackson sauntered over to us, dragging his feet lazily against the gym floor. "Fraternizing with your student, Drozdov? Something tells me that's not allowed."

"Twice, Jackson!" Ethan exclaimed, exasperated. "Twice!"

Chuckling, Jackson patted his friend on the back and then winked at me. "You know I live to irritate you, Ethan. It's what best friends are for."

There was something about Jackson presence that perked me up, though I was hoping that Ethan didn't notice. I grinned at him and he walked over to me. "Rosemarie Hathaway, have you no respect for the rules?" He laughed again. "Wait, you don't need to answer that. I already know."

"Rose, we need to continue training," Ethan said stiffly.

So his jealousy hadn't faded.

Jackson pointed at him and narrowed his eyes. "That's not fair," he said. "Whenever you decide that you want to have a little fun, she gets to play. But when I come along it's all business."

"You can 'play' with Miss Hathaway when she's not in training."

"Miss Hathaway is standing right here!" I hissed. They were speaking about me like I was some toy, and I wasn't.

"Sorry, Rose," said Jackson, reapplying the sloppy grin. His crystal eyes were sparkling ferociously in that moment, and I forgot that Ethan existed.

"Sorry Rose," repeated Ethan, a lot less friendly.

"It's all right. You know what, it looks like it's time for me to go anyways."

**It's kind of short, but I really wanted to update for all of you WONDERFUL reviewers and alerters! I hoped you like it. I feel it may step slightly away from Rose's character, but I feel like confusion and a broken heart can do that to a person. **

**Review and tell me what you think **

**Oh, and who's read CoFA? I did, and I absolutely loved it! If you want, check out my MI fanfic! **


End file.
